Submarine vessel



Sept. 15, 1964 Filed Dec. 1. 1

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United States Patent 3,148,650 SUBMARINE VESSEL John Shetlield Leonard, Stonington, Conn, assignor to General Dynamics Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 1, 1961, Ser. No. 156,287 Claims. (Cl. 114-16) This invention relates to submarine vessels generally and more particularly to an improved submarine vessel for oceanographic research which incorporates a simple and effective attitude control mechanism.

Present day advances in oceanographic research have given rise to a need for improved submarine research vessels to support an ever expanding program in oceanography. Oceanographic studies require not only a submarine vessel capable of penetrating to the extreme depths of the ocean, but also a vessel capable of permitting a broadened and more sustained observation of the oceans bulk.

Several steps have been previously taken in the development of a submarine vessel capable of direct oceanographic observation at great depths. One such step was the bathysphere which consisted of a sphere with viewing ports supported by a cable from a surface ship. The bathysphere approach suifered from the inherent limitation presented by the supporting cable, which imposes severe limitations upon the scope of operations of the research vessel.

Another major step in the development of oceanographic vessels was the development of the bathyscaph, which is a vessel capable of free descent. The bathyscaph utilizes a large volume of gasoline to support a heavy, spherical pressure hull and is unmatched in terms of deep diving achievement. However, the bathyscaph sacrifices ease of support, mobility, maneuverability, and endurance to achieve great depth.

Subsequent to the development of the bathysphere and bathyscaph, other underwater oceanographic research vessels have been developed in an attempt to provide improved vessels for underwater research. However, these prior vessels have suffered generally from deficiencies in maneuverability, size, weight and the extent of viewing ports available for underwater observation.

The maneuverability of prior underwater craft has usually been controlled by the manipulation of external control surfaces provided upon the exterior of the craft. Generally, pitch control has been accomplished by the use of parasitic trimming weights for hydrostatic balance and external planes for dynamic changes. Not only do these external appendages increase the drag eXperienced by the underwater craft, but in cases of low power, low speed operation, pitching moments introduced by the planes are bucked by the moments associated with bydrostatic stability. This causes plane angles which would normally drive the craft to result, instead, in a net rising component, thereby attributing an undesirable control situation.

The expense associated with prior oceanographic research vessels has tended to counteract the technical advantages achieved through the use of such craft for research. Not only have the building costs incurred in the construction of previous research submarines been prohibitive, but the high costs of operational support have 3,148,650 Patented Sept. 15, 1964 also contributed to the expenses of oceanographic research through the use of submarine vessels. For example, during operation it is necessary that a tender vessel be supplied to support the operation of the research craft, and the large-sized underwater research vessels previously developed have required the support of a large, expensive surface tender.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved submarine vessel adapted for oceanographic research.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved submarine vessel of reduced size and weight which is capable of providing a high degree of underwater maneuverability.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved submarine vessel capable of moving underwater along any chosen trajectory with a minimum degree of drag and a maximum degree of hydrodynamic stability.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved submarine vessel capable of moving upwardly or downwardly through a pitch angle of degrees from the horizontal without the use of external control surfaces or parasitic trimming weights.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved submarine vessel capable of rapid vertical'ascents or descents through the use of an improved attitude con trol system.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved submarine vessel which incorporates a pitch control mechanism capable of effecting pitch control solely through the rotation of internally mounted components.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved submarine vessel which may be easily and effectively supported by many existing classes of surface ships.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved submarine vessel which may be economically constructed and operated.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the apparatus defined by the following specification and appended claims, certain embodiments and details of construction of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the submarine vessel of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view in front elevation of the submarine vessel of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view showing the pitch control operating mechanism of the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the operation of the present invention, and

FIGURE 6 is a partially sectioned view and side elevation illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

Basically, the present invention incorporates a submarine vessel having a pressure hull which forms a shell within which the vessels crew, instruments and controls are contained. Integrally mounted within this shell or crew compartment is a pendulous attitude control system which includes a support platform for the crew, battery, instruments, controls and auxiliaries. This support platform is rotatable within the shell about the pitch axis thereof, so that pitch control of the craft may be accomplished by driving the pendulous system to an appropriate angle in the pitch plane.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the submarine vessel of the present invention indicated generally at includes a hull 11 having a forward or nose section 12 and an afterbody or rear propulsion and ballast section 13. Forward section 12 may be provided with a transparent dome 14 for housing television cameras or other similar research instruments, while rear section 13 carries the vessel propulsion propellers 15 and 16, lifting lugs 17, and an access hatch 18. The outside surface of hull 11 may be provided with suitable stabilizers 19 to insure the necessary hydrodynamic stability.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 3, it may be noted that front section 12 includes a pressure hull 20 having preferably a spherical configuration to obtain structural weight economy within the vessel 10 which is designed for substantially neutral buoyancy in the submerged condition. Pressure hull 20 encloses a watertight crew and instrument compartment 21 which is sustained substantially at atmospheric pressure. Compartment 21 is provided with suitable transparent viewing ports 22. An access hatch 23 is fitted in an access opening 24 in the pressure hull 2t), and operates to close an access trunk 25 extending to the rear portion of the hull 11. The rear end of access trunk 25 is closed by the access hatch 18 which may be omitted to convert access trunk 25 into a free flooding trunk.

Mounted within the pressure hull 20 is a pendulous attitude or pitch control system indicated generally at 26. Pitch control system 26 includes a support platform 27 which is supported within the pressure hull 20 by pivot pins 28 and 29. Support platform 27 carries the vehicle control and research instruments 30 and the crew platforms 31 and 32. The support platform 27 is held in a normal horizontal position by the vehicle battery 33 which acts as the main pendulous weight for the pendulous system 26. The battery 33 is mounted upon the platform 27 so as to be located low within the spherical pressure hull 20 and is the major factor which provides hydrostatic stability to the submarine vehicle It}. The pendulous weight provided by the battery 33 is moved about the pitch axis of the spherical hull 20 when the platform 27 is moved about the pivot pins 28 and 29 by means of a drive unit 34. This movement of the platform 27 accompanied by the rotation of the vehicle instruments, crew, and battery within the spherical crew compartment 21 provides the pitch control for the submarine vehicle 10.

The turning control for the submarine vehicle 10 is provided by the twin propellers 15 and 16 projecting from the rear section 13 of the hull 11. Rear section 13 houses two D.-C. propulsion motors 35 and 36 which provide the driving power to the propellers 15 and 16. Also included within the rear section 13 are water ballast tanks 37 and 38 which are formed by the walls or fairing structure of the afterbody 13. Ballast tanks 37 and 38, when dry, together with the spherical configuration of the forward section, provide an adequate reserve buoyancy and freeboard when the submarine craft 10 is surfaced in an afterbody up attitude. This ballast system may be supplemented by any suitable liquid or solid variable ballast system to provide buoyancy control when the craft 10 is submerged. It will be understood to those skilled in the art that, while they are not illustrated, suitable connections are provided from the vehicle control 30 to motors 35, 36 and ballast tanks 37 and 38.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the pitch control drive mechanism 34 illustrated in FIGURE 3. Referring to FIGURE 4, it will be noted that the pivot pin 29 is integrally attached to the pressure hull 20. Mounting support frame 27 is pivotally mounted upon the pivot pin 29 by a bearing 39 which is secured to the support frame. Non-rotatably affixed to the end of the pivot pin 29 internally of the bearing 39 is a rigid worm wheel 40. Worm wheel 40 interacts with the worm drive spindle 41 of a motor 42 which is rigidly mounted upon the support frame 27. Thus, it may be seen that the 4 energization of the motor 42 causes the frame 27 to be driven about the pivot pin 29 through the interaction of the worm drive spindle 41 and worm wheel 40. It is, of course, obvious that the motor 42 could be replaced by any suitable manual operating means.

The operation of the submarine vehicle 10 of FIG- URES 1 through 4 may be readily understood by referring to the operational diagram illustrated by FIGURE 5. The operational cycle will begin when the submarine craft 10 is lowered over the side of a mother ship or tender, and the submarine vessel 10 will, at this time, be in a nose-down attitude with the forward section 12 under water and the afterbody 13 above the water. This attitude is maintained by having the water ballast tanks 37 and 38 blown dry, and further by driving the pendulous system 26 so that the support platform 27 is in a degree down angle position indicated by A in FIGURE 5. With the submarine vehicle 10 in this position, the afterbody 13 is above the water providing adequate freeboard so that the crew may board via the access trunk 25. The pressure hull hatch 23 is then secured and the water ballast tanks 37 and 38 flooded so that the craft 10 begins a vertical descent indicated at B in FIGURE 5. A vertical or slant descent may be selected by the angular positioning of the pendulous system 26, and the motors 35 and 36 may be optionally utilized to hasten or retard the descent. Once the ocean bottom has been reached, as indicated at C in FIGURE 5, the craft 10 may be caused to hover, in the manner of an aerial helicopter, by positioning the pendulous system in the 90 degree down angle position and by utilizing the propellers 15 and 16 for hovering control. A horizontal search may be conducted by pitching the pendulous system 26 in the horizontal position as indicated at D in FIGURE 5. In this position, the submarine craft 10 will be driven forward by the propellers 15 and 16 and turn control may be exerted by selectively varying the power applied to each propeller.

When the underwater search program is completed, the pendulous system 26 may be pitched to accomplish the ascent shown by E in FIGURE 5. Ascent may be performed by releasing variable ballast, not shown, which, combined with the action of the propulsion motors 35 and 36 acts to control the rapidity of the ascent. Once the craft 10 nears the surface of the water, the pendulous system 26 will be again driven to a 90 degree down angle position so that the craft will be pitched to an attitude wherein the afterbody 13 is raised above the surface of the water. When the ballast tanks 37 and 38 are blown, the access trunk is drained, and the hatch is opened, the crew is then able to leave the craft and assist in hooking the tender lifting cable to the lifting lugs 17. It may be seen that throughout the operation of the submarine vessel 10, the crew platform and associated equipment is caused to remain comfortably in the horizontal position while the hull 11 of the craft is caused to move through various pitch positions. Thus the craft 10 is enabled to make rapid vertical ascents and descents while the crew is maintained in a horizontal position. Prior underwater craft required extended diving and ascending periods, as these crafts could dive at only slight angles in order to maintain the crew in a position close to the horizontal to prevent discomfort.

FIGURE 6 illustrates an embodiment of the submarine vessel of FIGURES 1 through 4 which incorporates an alternate system of pitch and turn control. Referring to FIGURE 6 in which components similar to those illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 4 are identically referenced, the turn control of the submarine vehicle 10 is accomplished by means of a rudder assembly 43. The rudder assembly 43 includes a stationary stabilizer 44 secured to the rear section 13 of the hull 11 and having the rear portion thereof cut away as at 45 to facilitate the mounting of a movable rudder 46. Movable rudder 46 is pivotally mounted upon the stationary stabilizer 44 at pivot points Y 47 and 48 and may be angularly controlled by suitable control means not shown. Directional drive of the submarine vessel is accomplished by a main propulsion system 49 which is mounted upon the movable rudder 46 and which furnishes power to a single propeller 50.

Pitch control of the vessel 10 is accomplished by the same pendulous action previously described in connection with FIGURES 1 through 3. However, in the embodiment illustrated by FIGURE 6, the outer extremities of the support platform 27 and the instrument unit 30 are provided with roller bearing units 51 which are enclosed in a circular track 52 mounted upon the inner surface of the spherical pressure hull 20. Platform 27 may be driven to various angular positions by means of a suitable manual or powered drive means. This drive means may take the form ofa rotary driven unit 53 which cooperates with the surface of the pressure hull to move the platform 27 along the tracks 52.

It is, of course, obvious that the rudder assembly 43 and propulsion system 49 of FIGURE 6 might be utilized in conjunction with the pitch control system 26 of FIG- URES 1 through 3, and that the pitch control system of FIGURE 6 might replace the pitch control system 26 of FIGURES 1 through 3 without sacrificing the desired control functions.

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention provides a novel and improved submarine vessel which incorporates a novel pendulous pitch control sytsem which may be actively operated to provide great maneuverability. The arrangement and types of components utilized within this invention may be subject to numerous modifications well within the purview of this inventor who intends only to be limited to a liberal interpretation of the specification and appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a submarine vessel having a hull and propulsion means, a pendulous pitch control system movably mounted within said hull, said pitch control system comprising, a platform movably supported by said hull on the pitch axis thereof, a weight carried by said platform, said platform and weight being positioned within the hull to move in a pendulous manner relative to said hull, and drive means operatively connected to the platform to move said platform and associated weight relative to said hull to thereby vary the pitch of said vessel.

2. In a submarine vessel having a hull, propulsion means, and means to cause the submergence of said vessel, a pendulous pitch control system movably mounted within said hull, said pitch control system comprising; a crew and instrument platform movably supported by said hull, said platform adapted for movement through 90 from the horizontal about the pitch axis of said vessel, a battery carried beneath said platform, said battery providing the main pendulous weight for the control system, and drive means operatively connected to said platform for moving said platform and battery relative to said hull to vary the angular pitch of said vessel, said drive means being operative to move said platform about the pitch axis of said vessel to a position 90 from the horizontal to cause said Vessel to move in a vertical plane.

3. In a submarine vessel having a hull, a pressure hull section formed at the forward end of said hull, propulsion means, and means to cause submersion of said vessel mounted within the rear portion of said hull, a pendulous pitch control system movably mounted within said pressure hull section, said pitch control system comprising; a platform movably supported by said pressure hull section, said platform adapted for movement through 90 from the horizontal about the pitch axis of said pressure hull, a weight carried by said platform, and drive means mounted upon said platform, and operatively connected thereto to move said platform and weight about the pitch axis of said pressure hull to vary the pitch attitude of said vessel, said drive means being operative to move said platform about the pitch axis of said vessel to a position 6 from the horizontal to cause said vessel to move in a vertical plane.

4. The submarine vessel of claim 3 wherein the vessel is provided with an access hatch positioned adjacent the rear portion thereof, said pressure hull section being of a spherical configuration to increase the natural buoyancy of said vessel and to provide a maximum freeboard for the access hatch when the vessel is surfaced in a rear portion up attitude.

5. A submarine vessel comprising a hull, a pressure hull section formed at the forward end of said hull, ballast and propulsion means mounted within the rear portion of said hull, said propulsion means including a pair of motors operatively connected to dual propellers mounted externally of said hull for drive and turn control, and a pendulous pitch control system movably mounted within said pressure hull section, said pitch control system including a platform, means to pivotally secure said platform to said pressure hull section, a weight carried by said platform, and drive means mounted upon said platform, said drive means operative to move said platform and weight about the pitch axis of said pressure hull section to vary the pitch attitude of said vessel.

'6. A submarine vessel comprising a hull, a spherical pressure hull section formed at the forward end of said hull, said pressure hull section including a plurality of transparent viewing ports, ballast tanks and propulsion means mounted within the rear portion of said hull behind said pressure hull section, said propulsion means including a pair of battery powered motors operatively connected to dual propellers mounted externally of said hull for drive and turn control, and a pendulous pitch control system movably mounted within said pressure hull section, said pitch control system including a crew and instrument platform pivotally secured within said pressure hull section, a battery attached beneath said platform, and motor drive means mounted upon said platform, said motor drive means operative to move said platform through an angle of 90 degrees about the pitch axis of said pressure hull section whereby the pitch attitude of said vessel is varied.

7. A submarine vessel comprising a hull, a pressure hull section formed at the forward end of said hull, ballast means mounted within the rear portion of said hull, propulsion and turn control means mounted externally of said hull at the rear extremity thereof, said propulsion and turn control means including a stationary stabilizer secured to said hull, a rudder pivotally mounted upon said stabilizer, and motor and propeller means carried by said rudder to provide directional drive control, and a pendulous pitch control system movably mounted within said pressure hull section, said pitch control system including track means attached to the interior of said pressure hull section, a crew and instrument platform mounted for movement within said track means, a battery secured beneath said platform, and motive means carried by said platform, said motive means operative to move said platform along said track means whereby the attitude of said vessel may be varied.

8. The submarine vessel of claim 7 whereby said pressure hull section is spherical in configuration to increase the natural buoyancy of said vessel.

9. In a submarine vessel having va hull, propulsion means, and means to cause the submergence of said vessel, a pendulous pitch control system movably mounted within said hull, said pitch control system comprising track means attached to the interior of said hull, a platform mounted for movement along said track means, a weight carried by said platform, and motive means mounted upon said platform, said motive means operative to move said platform along said track means whereby the attitude of said vessel may be varied.

10. The submarine vessel of claim 5 in which said mounting means includes first and second pivot pins rigidly secured to said pressure hull section, bearing support means secured to said platform, said bearing support means being pivotally mounted upon said pivot pins to movably suspend said platform therefrom, and a worm wheel rigidly afiixed to the terminus of said first pivot pin, said worm Wheel being in engagement with said drive means to cause the pivotal movement of said platform.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Peacock July 15, 1913 Nelson Dec. 28, 1915 Bitton Aug. 14, 1945 Harrison Aug. 10, 1954 Klatte June 12, 1956 Mohar Sept. 11, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 26, 1908 France May 22, 1933 Norway Feb. 5, 1908 

1. IN A SUBMARINE VESSEL HAVING A HULL AND PROPULSION MEANS, A PENDULOUS PITCH CONTROL SYSTEM MOVABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HULL, SAID PITCH CONTROL SYSTEM COMPRISING, A PLATFORM MOVABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID HULL ON THE PITCH AXIS THEREOF, A WEIGHT CARRIED BY SAID PLATFORM, SAID PLATFORM AND WEIGHT BEING POSITIONED WITHIN THE HULL TO MOVE IN A PENDULOUS MANNER RELATIVE TO SAID HULL, AND DRIVE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE PLATFORM TO MOVE SAID PLATFORM AND ASSOCIATED WEIGHT RELATIVE TO SAID HULL TO THEREBY VARY THE PITCH OF SAID VESSEL. 